Saturday, October 26, 2013

Workbench WOTR

The last few weeks have seen various exploits at club, such as the 'Longstreet' ACW campaign, and discovering 'Bolt Action' for WW2 tactical games, but I thought it was high time that I posted something about non-club activities, since it's been a while. I've been busy painting up and organising a large amount of Wars of the Roses figures, for the impending climactic struggle between Edward Plantagenet, Duke of York (and soon to be Edward IV, should he win) and Henry VI's puppet-master Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset. Here's what my painting table currently looks like:

At present, I have about 60-odd models to finish up painting, out of a grand total of something like 350-ish figures due to go on-table. Although most of the others are painted, there seem to be a lot of rogue ones here and there which have been painted but then not 'dipped' to given them shading and a protective varnish coat, or properly finished with a grassy base. So, I'm working away to bring them all up to finished 'army painted' standards.However, if you're interested in something you can't just put it all on hold while you paint away - I've been looking into getting a pile of banners and standards prepared, to give the armies a good bit of heraldry on display. It should add quite a lot to the visual appeal of the game, if it goes right!I have also been reminded, after playing a game of 'Bloody Barons' with Ric at the club, of the importance of Captains to units. Each unit has one, whose job is to motivate the men, spur them on to fight, and generally keep the whole unit actively involved in the fight! It occurred to me that it would be a good opportunity to add a lot of character to the game if I could assign historical personages to these roles. I turned to the superb 'Perfect Captain' database of personalities, and basically ransacked their lists of minor Lords and Barons. Where possible I have lifted magnates who were at Towton (the nearest historical equivalent to my upcoming battle) and assigned them straight to the various units each magnate has brought to the field. With a bit of luck, I may even be able to meet my target of getting the battle played out before the Xmas holidays arrive (eight weeks to go!)

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About Me

I am a wargamer that with many old sets of figures covering the Seven Years War, Ancients, WW1 and ACW in miniature. Most are now banished to the loft, but this blog should cover their use now and again.